Explosion at ExxonMobil’s Californian refinery

An explosion was reported at ExxonMobil’s Torrance oil refinery on Wednesday 18 February. Flames and smoke from the incident were visible from surrounding areas in southern Los Angeles County, California. The local fire and police departments responded to the explosion, which occurred at approximately 9 am local time. A small ground fire was quickly extinguished and the facility’s flare system was triggered for safety reasons.

Minor injuries were reported after the explosion ripped apart structures at the refinery, and a smoke advisory has been issued for areas near the facility.

ExxonMobil is currently investigating the cause of the explosion, which occurred in a recently installed processing facility, and accounting for all its workers. The following statement was released by a spokesperson for the ExxonMobil Torrance Refinery: "Emergency procedures have been activated to address the incident, and employees are working with the appropriate agencies. Our main concern is for the safety of our employees and our neighbours."